Grips are used on many products to improve the ability of a user to hold onto an device, such as a tool or a piece of sports equipment. The background provided below is regarding golf clubs and golf club grips, which is one field in which the tapered grip can be implemented.
Golf clubs take various forms, for example a wood, a hybrid, an iron, a wedge, or a putter. Each golf club includes a shaft having a top portion configured to receive a grip and a bottom portion configured to receive a club head.
Generally, the grip is coupled to the shaft using an adhesive. More specifically, the grip can be coupled using double-sided tape, wherein a first side is coupled to the shaft and the second side is configured to couple to a bore within the grip. The adhesive on the second side of the tape ensures that the grip will not shift after being installed on the shaft.
It is important that the diameter of the bore within the grip and the outer diameter of the tape be extremely similar. The smaller the difference between the diameter of the bore and the outer diameter of the tape the more affective the adhesive is in securing the grip to the shaft. However, in many grips, the opening of the bore includes a sharp edge (flashing) due to manufacturing processes.
Installing the grip on the shaft includes sliding the shaft comprising the double sided tape into the bore of the grip. The sharp edge on the opening of the bore along with the tight tolerance between the diameter of the bore and the outer diameter of the tape can cause the adhesive to be stripped from the tape during installation. This can result in the grip undergoing unwanted shifting or rotation during use.
While golf club grips have a variety of known designs, there is a need for a grip which can be installed on a shaft without stripping away adhesive which has to be applied to secure the grip to the shaft.